Interview with Pastor Dave Barr

What are your rolls and responsibilities in the church as a pastor?
Lead the church, operation of church, teach, console, weddings ,funerals, financial accountability, recruit, train, discipline, and fire staff members, work in ministry, weekend programs and elements,
Primary- lead and shepherd the church


What kind of schooling do you have to do to become a pastor?
You don't NEED to go to school, but you do have to get your license to be a pastor, but you can get a theology degree.
Pastor Dave- Went to "the international church of the four square gospel" and got a license and went to training


How do you know it's your calling to be a pastor?
Be passionate about church!
Signs from God will come up
Pastor Dave's story-
It took God a few years to convince me, started with passions, passionate about doing church so anything about reaching people that don't know Jesus, PASSION, God given passion, I always talked about passion! Then I became interested in intern at New Hope Oahu. My wife thought I was crazy because I had a 6 figure income at my job at the time. But I had passion, a desire to become pastor, then Pastor Wayne asked him to come on staff but it took a year and a half to accept the offer. Spent year&half asking God for help. One time I was walking from the living room into kitchen and there was a movie on tv called “Jesus” walked by and Jesus on the TV said “come and follow me and i will make you fishers of men” and all of a sudden my knees buckle and I was kneeling and crying,not sad crying, just like crying out to God in a dark kitchen&didn't know what was going on..2 days later the door bell rings and a girl from small group has a fishing pole in her hand and theres a cookie cutter heart at the end of the pole and by the reel theres a scripture taped on was the same scripture as the one that played on the TV 2 days before and she said the Lord told me to give this to you…And God said follow me...
Then another time, I was at Sears to buy some pants and I went to check Sears&I walked pass a women standing by the ties and walked by her and she asked for the time yeah its 12:30, and she said "thank you and god bless you you mighty christian warrior" and had no name tag on saying I was from New Hope and I had not told her I was a Christian, so turned around and asked her how she knew I was a Christian and she said "i can see it in your eyes" and asked if I was a pastor, and I said no, but might become one&she said "yeah, God is gonna make you rich in his blessings" and she said well "i'll see you around and i'll see you on TV" and I said "wow am i gonna be on tav?" I had no intention of being on TV and about a year after I was on TV. That was one of the freakiest experience ever, and I thought she was an angel.


What kinds of preparations do you as a pastor have to do to get ready for a Sunday service?
-Plan out theme of the message weeks in advance
-About 15-22 hours of preparation for writing
-Have to discuss elements(like dances, dramas,etc.)
Massive amount of work but most people think pastors study for a little while, then just talk but no way if your gonna preach, fresh, creative, and effectively it takes hours, and you spends ALOT of time praying…ALOT OF WORK! gets draining but preparation kills and God helps
Pastor Dave's schedule:
Mondays: 8:30am-12am
Tuesday Nights- Discuss elements
Wednesdays: 8:30am-12:30pm
Thursday: 9-12
Saturdays 10am-11pm


Advice for a new pastor?
1- stay close to Jesus and family
GREAT COMMANDMENT, so first is him then family spend time with him, do devotions, read your bible, journal, a lot of things come out when you journal with God. Be in a close relationship with Christ and then with family and others.

2- Self-initiated
Find mentors and learn from them and be close and BE WILLING TO BE A LIFE LONG STUDENT OF BECOMING A PASTOR!
Pastor Dave-has been a pastor for 9 years but still a student..disciple of Christ means you are a student!!! always be willing to learn! push yourself to grow constantly!

3-FORGIVE EVERYONE!!!!!!
choose to do so!If you don't forgive, you will get bitterness, and be miserable, and it will ruin relationships and and with God and your ministry! Learn from you critics HE CAN HEAL YOUR HURT! CHOOSE TO FORGIVE!
Pastor Dave- visually writes offense&visually erases it..he says Lord take this out of their record of wrongs towards me! choose to forgive not gonna dwell not gonna get even..bible said if i don't forgive i will be miserable..not focused on the past..